From sailing boat to steamship: The role of the publisher in an open access environment

Abstract

The Internet has been a huge success in the academic world, as it makes it possible for academics to share and find research materials; open access has therefore become a fact of life for academic publishing. But what is the role of publishers in this new environment? The key functions of publishing - organizing peer review, editorial support, graphic design, marketing, and distribution of academic information - do not just disappear; publishers still have a role here, but they need to take a more service-minded perspective. Academics still need to find ways to ensure the dissemination of their output; it is important that they realize that this will cost money, whether it is brought in-house or outsourced. The IMISCOE project, on which Amsterdam University Press has recently embarked, offers an entirely new publishing model oriented towards online dissemination of academic research results, as well as in book form.